Training
All volunteers that are involved in providing “direct service” (see chart above) must complete the full hospice volunteer training program which includes a combination of virtual and in-person learning.

For Hospice Orillia, this is important because you may be volunteering independently without staff nearby. For Mariposa House, you are likely to have frequent interactions with residents and their family/friends whether you are at reception, in the kitchen, or visiting a resident’s room. In all direct services roles, you will deal with sensitive subject matter, and we want to provide you with as many resources as possible to make sure you feel prepared for your volunteer role. Completing the full training program also allows volunteers to move between roles without further training.

Our full training program for direct service hospice volunteers includes approximately 8-10 hours of in-class facilitated learning combined with 15-20 hours of online learning through the HPCO (Hospice Palliative Care Ontario) Hospice Volunteer Curriculum.

The Process
There are 10 key steps to becoming a Direct Service hospice volunteer in the Couchiching area:

1. Submit Expression of Interest: Complete the form below. Once we receive your completed form, a hospice representative will reach out within 2-3 business days

Before submitting your expression of interest to become a Direct Service Volunteer, we ask that you consider the following before applying:

• Have you experienced a close loss within the last year? Please note that the hospice team will likely recommend that you wait at least one year after a major loss before taking on the commitment of a Direct Service volunteer role with Hospice Orillia or Mariposa House.
• Are you able to complete approximately 30 hours of training? The training program for Direct Service Volunteers is a combination of in-person facilitated and independent online learning.
• Are you able to commit to a minimum of one year of volunteering with either Hospice Orillia or Mariposa House (or both)? Due to the robust nature of our screening and training process, we ask that each Direct Service Volunteer commit to a minimum of one year of service.

2.  Attend an information session: The one-hour session is offered several times a year via Zoom. Information about volunteer roles at Hospice Orillia and Mariposa House will be provided. Dates for our 2022/23 information session are listed in the form below.

3.  Carefully Consider: whether you are ready to proceed with the next steps in the process. Is this the right type of volunteering for you? Is now the right time for you to make a commitment?

4.  Confirm: After the information session, confirm which volunteer role you are interested in and submit an official application to proceed. The role you select will determine which organization works with you through the rest of the process.

5.  Interview: Participate in an interview with the hospice team about what makes you a good fit for hospice volunteering.

6.  Provide references: The hospice team will follow up with your references directly.

7.  Request a Police Records Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening: The hospice team will provide a letter to you that you can use to request a police record check.

8.  Complete training program: Upon successful completion of the interview and screening process you will be signed up to complete the in-person facilitated sessions and the online learning modules.

9.  Attend post-training check-in: This allows an opportunity to reflect on the training program and determine whether you and the hospice team both agree that it’s a good fit for you to move forward with volunteering. This is also when you would sign confidentiality agreement and code of conduct and receive a more specific orientation to the role you have been selected for.

10.  Complete role-specific orientation